Updates re: 🇿🇦 (&🌍) vs 🇮🇱🔥 @ICJ: Israel con't 🤷 excuses 2+ years. 🇰🇲 Comoros joins case

for those of us still working on our map skills, via prolewiki:

Comoros, officially the Union of the Comoros, is an island country off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. It is a former French colony, and the island of Mayotte also in the Comoros archipelago remains a French territory.

Population 850,886

To date, the following States have filed an application for permission to intervene under Article 62 of the Statute or a declaration of intervention under Article 63 of the Statute:

• Colombia (Article 63) 5 April 2024
• Libya (Article 63) 10 May 2024
• Mexico (Article 63) 24 May 2024
• Palestine (Articles 62 and 63) 31 May 2024
• Spain (Article 63) 28 June 2024
• Türkiye (Article 63) 7 August 2024
• Chile (Article 63) 12 September 2024
• the Maldives (Article 63) 1 October 2024
• Bolivia (Article 63) 8 October 2024
• Ireland (Article 63) 6 January 2025
• Cuba (Article 63) 13 January 2025
• Belize (Articles 62 and 63) 30 January 2025
• Brazil (Article 63) 17 September 2025

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

YEAR 2025

2025 20 October General List No. 192

20 October 2025

APPLICATION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION AND PUNISHMENT OF THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE IN THE GAZA STRIP

(SOUTH AFRICA v. ISRAEL)

ORDER

The President of International Court of Justice,

Having regard to Article 48 of the Statute of the Court and to Article 44, paragraphs 3 and 4, of the Rules of Court,

Having regard to the Order of 5 April 2024, whereby the Court fixed 28 October 2024 and 28 July 2025 as the respective time-limits for the filing of the Memorial of the Republic of South Africa (hereinafter “South Africa”) and the Counter-Memorial of the State of Israel (hereinafter “Israel”),

Having regard to the Memorial of South Africa filed within the time-limit thus fixed,

Having regard to the Order of 14 April 2025, whereby the Court, at the Respondent’s request, extended to 12 January 2026 the time-limit for the filing of the Counter-Memorial of Israel;

Whereas, by a letter dated 14 October 2025, the Co-Agent of Israel asked the Court, inter alia, to further extend the time-limit for the submission of the Counter-Memorial by at least five months, stating that such request was necessary for a number of reasons;

• whereas the Co-Agent explained, in particular, that certain evidentiary issues relating to the Memorial of South Africa remained unresolved,
  • namely the status of a number of documents referred to via hyperlinks which had not been annexed to that pleading;
  • whereas the Co-Agent contended that, as a result, the nature and scope of the evidence contained in the Memorial were still unknown;
  • whereas he further indicated that Israel had been required to devote significant attention and resources to the preparation of additional explanations and comments specifically requested by the Court from the United Nations, Israel and the State of Palestine in the context of the advisory proceedings on the question formulated by the General Assembly of the United Nations in resolution 79/232 of 19 December 2024;

Whereas, on receipt of that letter, the Registrar immediately transmitted a copy thereof to South Africa, in accordance with Article 44, paragraph 3, of the Rules of Court;

Whereas, by a letter dated 20 October 2025, the Agent of South Africa stated that his Government was of the view that the request for an extension of the time-limit for the filing of the Counter-Memorial should be rejected,

• since an extension had already been granted on the same grounds as those raised by Israel in its current request;
• whereas, in his letter, the Agent explained that the extension requested would be irreconcilable with the urgency of the case and the principle of equality between the Parties;
• whereas he further contended that the scope of South Africa’s case had not changed;
• and whereas he reserved South Africa’s right to address evidentiary issues at the appropriate stage of the proceedings;

Taking into account the views expressed by the Parties,

Extends to 12 March 2026 the time-limit for the filing of the Counter-Memorial of the State of Israel; and

Reserves the subsequent procedure for further decision.

Done in French and in English, the French text being authoritative, at the Peace Palace,

The Hague, this twentieth day of October, two thousand and twenty-five, in three copies, one of which will be placed in the archives of the Court and the others transmitted to the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the State of Israel, respectively.

(Signed) IWASAWA Yuji, President.

(Signed) Philippe GAUTIER, Registrar.

• #196: Obligations of Israel in relation to the Presence and Activities of the United Nations, Other International Organizations and Third States in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory (advisory)
• #186: Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem (advisory)
• #131: Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (2003-2004)